Airship.



T. R. MACMECHEN & W. V. KAMP.

IIIIII P.

APPLICAT NE 22,1916. 1,21 9,125. Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

v 3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

T. R. MACMECHEN 81 W. V. KAMP.

AIRSHIP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22. 1910.

Patented Mar. 13,1911

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

nucnfou/ T.R.lV1ALlI\/\ECHEN (Q W. V. KAMP.

AIRSHIP.

APPLICATION man JUNE 22. I916.

1,21 9,125.. Patented M211. 13, MIN.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

THOMAS R. MACMECHEN AND wAiTnR v. KAMP, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

AIBSHIP.

Application filed June 22, 1916.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we. 'liroims RUTHER- rono lilxcuncnnx and WALTER V. RAMP, citizens of the United States, and residents of the borough and county of Bronx, city and State of New York. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Airships, of which the following is a specifi cation.

This invention relates to airships or dirigible balloons of the rigid type, the chief object being to strengthen the structure thereof and enable the lifting capacity of the airship to be utilized to the fullest extent without detrimentally affecting the said structure.

r-iccording to this invention the framework of the airship comprises series of continuous spiral arches which extend throughout the length of the airship and intercross in such a manner that the strilctural advantages of the arch and triangle are utilized to the fullest extent, thereby enabling the said frame-work to effectively withstand the stresses experienced during the working of the airship. The continuous spiral arches may be encircled with a number of polygonal rings or hoops of girder section which by means of radial distance pieces are spaced from and secured at appropriate intervals to the continuous spiral arches. The internal lattice-like structure constituted by the last mentioned members may be formed of right hand and left hand spiral or helical strips and a series of longitudinal strips. Outside the said polygonal rings there may be arranged another series of longitudinal strips in a position exterior to the first mentioned series. For sake of distinction these two series of longitudinal strips may be referred to as the inner and outer series. The outer series may be fitted into suitable recesses formed at the angles of the polygonal rings and may be trussed or braced to the inner series. The inner series may be arranged to pass across the points of intersection of thetwo series of spiral strips constituting the lattice-like structure and the inner series of longitudinal strips and the two series of spiral strips may be embraced at their points of intersection by a number of metal straps secured to the aforesaid distance pieces which extend inwardly. in a radial Specification of Letters Patent.

polygonal rings.

Patented Mar. 13, 1917,

Serial No. 105,100.

direction from the various angles of the The distance pieces may be made of laminated wood and the aforesaid metal straps may be secured thereto by suitable transverse bolts or rivets. It will be understood that one of the said distance pieces is arranged at each of the angles of the polygonal rings.

The polygonalrings may be built up of wooden, laminated sections of girder formation which are connected together by means of gusset plates or other suitable means. The polygonal rings may be spaced apart at'intervals throughout the length of the airship and the sides of adjacent rings may be braced together or otherwise cross connected so as to constitute panels for supporting the outer envelop or cover of the airship. The aforesaid inner and outer series of longitudinal strips and the two series of helical strips may be composed. in girder-like form. of laminated wood.

The space embraced by the inner series of longitudinal strips and the two series of helical strips containsthe balloonettes or gas bags and between the ends of adjacent gas bags a system of radial ties provided to withstand the internal pressure of the gas bags. The outer ends of these radial ties are connected to eye-bolts which are attached to the metal straps that embrace the aforesaid distance pieces. The inner ends of the said radial ties are connected to a centrally disposed ring of steel or other appropriate metal.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of an airship showing the various girder and associated elements of which it is constituted.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged partial view of the same.

Fig.

same.

Fig. l is an enlarged detail view of one of the gusset plates.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line of Fig. 2. showing the connection between gusset plates and radial ties.

Fig. 6 is a view of a modified form of radial tie connection, and

FigQTis a perspective view of the same.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged view showing the 3 is an enlarged partial view of the centric wires. 1

In said view 1 indicates the usual gas bags and 2 the inclosing envelop or cover, the gas bags and envelop being separated by an annular space 3, for the usual purposes, including thepassage of a heating or cooling medium.

'ithin said space 3 we provide the framework of the airship, which, as here shown, is composed of longitudinal girders, consisting of spaced, parallel bars 4:, 5, and (3, with interconnecting struts T; oppositespiral girders, consisting of spaced, parallel convolute bars 8, 9, and 8, 9 and polygonal or ring members consisting of spaced, parallel bars 10, 11, and radial connecting struts 12.

The longitudinal girders are arranged, radially, equal distances apart, around the airship, the inner bars 5, (3, thereof embracing the opposite spiral girders, or having said spiral girders in intercrossed, associated relation therewith; while the outer bars t, 5, of said longitudinal girders contain between them, in abutting relation therewith, the outer and inner bars 10, 11, of the polygonal or ring girders.

It will be noted, by reference to the draw-. ings, that the longitudinal girders are located at the angles of the constituent or sectional girder-like elements of the polygonal or ring members, the bars 10, 11, thereof, respectively abutting, at their ends, against the opposite sides of the bars 1, 5, of said longitudinal girders, in the axial lines of the struts 7, because said struts are also located in the radial lines of said angles. Therefore end pieces or struts 13 for the ring girder members, which connect the bars 10, 11, thereof, are enabled to lie in parallelism with and against opposite sides, respectively, of the struts 7.

Fish plates, or gusset plates, as 1i, see Figs. 2 and 4, are placed against those sides of the struts 7 and 13 which face lengthwise of the airship, being holted or otherwise secured through and to said struts and each other, said plates having apertures 15 to receive the bars 5 and G, and having rings 16 engaged at their inner terminals, with which are connected eye-bolts 17 carrying the radial ties or strands 18, which are centered at their inner ends with a central supporting rin 19.

Reinforce lacing, as of wire strands 20, arranged in concentric formation, connects the entire series of radial ties, in manner corresponding with the structure of a spiders web, the said web formation serving to comprise a separating panel between adjacent gas bags. Each of the series of spaces or fields between radials 18 and strands 20 may have approximately the same area, in the interests of uniform strength throughout the entire web.

In Fig. 3 the plates 21 are shown in modified formas connected to the outer struts ,7, said plates straddling the inner bars 5 and 6, and their inner ends meeting beyond the inner portion of the longitudinal girder, to there receive the ring for the radial tie.

In the further modification of Figs. 6 and 7, the supports for the radial ties are shown in the form of loops held by bolts 2% secured in the struts 7 and 13.

\Ve claim 1. In an airship, a tubular frame therefor comprising a series of longitudinal girders, and a series of transverse, polygonal, hoop girders, members of said polygonal girders intersecting in abutting relation with said longitudinal girders, and means for connecting said longitudinal and polygonal girders, to constitute aunified structure.

In an airship, a tubular frame therefor comprising a' series of longitudinal girders composed of spaced, parallel bars, with interconnecting, radial struts, and a series of transverse, polygonal, hoop girders composed of sections ha ing spaced parallel bars with interconnecting radial struts, ends of said hoop sections and struts therein being in opposed intersecting relation, respectively, with said longitudinal girder bars and with struts of said longitudinal girders, thus constituting the polygonal angles of said hoop girders, and means for uniting said elements to comprise a unified structure.

3. In an airship, a tubular frame therefor comprising a series of longitudinal girders composed each of three, spaced, parallel bars, with interconnecting, radial struts, the struts connecting the outer and inner bars to the centrai bar being in axial alinement, a series of polygonal hoop girders in intersecting relation with the outer and central bars of said longitudinal girder, and connecting means therefor.

4. In an airship, a tubular frame therefor comprising a series of longitudinal girders composed each of three, spaced, parallel bars, with interconnecting radial struts, the struts connecting the outer and inner bars tothe central bar being in axial alinement, a series of polygonal, hoop girders composed each of sections having two spaced parallel bars with connecting 'adial struts, the two outer bars of a longitudinal girder and a strut thereof intersecting in abutting relation with the ends, and a strut, respectively, of a hoop girder section, and uniting means therefor.

5. Inan airship, a tubular frame therefor comprising a series of longitudinal girders composed each of three, spaced, parallel bars, with interconnecting, radial struts, a, series of polygonal hoop girders in intersecting relation with the outer and central bars of said longitudinal girder, and series of opposite spiral girders, in crossed, intersecting relation with the inner and central bars of said longitudinal girders.

6. In an airship, a tubular frame therefor comprising a series of longitudinal girders and a series of intersecting transverse hoop girders, in combination with uniting means for said girders at their points of intersection, and radial ties extending from said uniting means to a common center.

7. In an airship havin a tubular frame and containing a series of gas bags in endwise opposed relation, a separating panel for said gas bags comprising a central support, radial ties strung between said sup- G'opi'es of this patent may be obtained for port and said frame, and connecting strands between said radial ties in concentric forvmation, consecutive radial distances de- THOS. R. MACMECHEN. WALTER V. KAMP.

Witnesses: I

CHAS. EDGAR, F. W. BARKER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

